Care of Paintings, Watercolours & Drawings

The Departure of the Emigrants by John Linnell

Hanging

Pictures should be hung securely using nylon cord for preference.
There are various strengths of cord so check with your dealer for the
most suitable. Brass or copper picture wire can also be used but it can
corrode over time. String is not normally strong enough and it can also
stretch and be prone to rotting. Eyehooks should be screwed into the
frame only and not the stretcher or backboard. For smaller works,'D
hooks' can be attached to the backboard provided a barrier board is also
used to prevent contact with the work. Both the strength of the hook and
its fixing into the wall must be commensurate with the weight of the
picture. For very hard walls special hooks are available or
alternatively the wall may need drilling. It is usually advisable to use
two hooks, not only for additional safety but also to prevent the
picture 'swinging'. Very heavy paintings may also need to be supported
at their base by brackets fixed to the wall, or by two short lengths of
chain hung vertically from secure fixings and hooked onto brass plate
hooks screwed into the frame

Millington Adams use a proprietary stainless steel
plastic coated hanging wire with screwed in D-plates which we believe is the
most suitable solution.

Avoid hanging pictures over a fire or radiator, unless there is a
mantelpiece or radiator shelf, as dirt and smoke in the warm airstream
will be carried up and could mark the picture. Watercolours will fade if
hung in strong light, especially sunlight, and some types of paper may
discolour; it is best to hang them on a wall which receives indirect
light. Consider covering vulnerable works on paper with a cloth when
away on holiday, especially in the summer, or draw the curtains in the
room. Alternatively roller sun-blinds cut out the rays of the sun
without darkening the room. Because of their sensitivity to light,
valuable works on paper should never be photocopied. Oil paint is less
likely to fade but will sometimes dry and crack in high temperatures
caused by central heating, fires, direct sunlight or even picture
lights. Panels too may warp or crack as a result of heat or extremes of
temperature. Wide variations in temperature and humidity are not good
for any works of art. Do not hang pictures on damp walls. To help air
circulate and avoid the build-up of any damp, especially if hung on an
outside wall, allow a picture to lean away from the wall at the top and
also glue a thin sliver of cork from a wine bottle or a corn pad on to
the bottom corners of the back of the frame. While damp can leave brown
tidemarks or cause paper to ripple when it dries out, very dry
conditions, often caused by central heating, can make paper dehydrate
and become brittle. Humidifiers and dehumidifiers can solve these
problems.

Framing & Mounting

Traditionally, oil paintings are framed without glass as they already have the protection of their coat of varnish. However works on paper -watercolours, drawings and prints -must be glazed to protect them from surface damage and dirt. While perspex sheeting can be used and is lighter and less fragile than glass, it scratches easily and attracts dust. For valuable works on paper, consider glazing with one of the modern UV filter glasses which are expensive but can filter out up to 95% of harmful UV rays.

It is important for works on paper to be set behind a card 'window' mount as this separates the glass from the artwork, preventing any rubbing and providing some circulation of air to deter mould. Both the bevel top window mount and the undermount must be acid-free as acidic paper will eventually discolour and in damp conditions it can develop mould or brown spots known as 'foxing'. You can check whether an existing card mount is acidic by looking to see if there is a brown stain around the inner edge of the 'window': if there is then the mount should be replaced. In order to allow paper to expand and contract, it should not be taped directly to the undermount but attached to it with T-shaped paper hinges fixed to the back or held by conservation-quality paper corners. With valuable works on paper, it is worth considering changing the mount and backing every ten years or so.

When fitting the work into a frame, the whole should be backed with modern double-sided smooth hardboard. Never use a wooden backboard as it is acidic, nor grey pulp board. Pin the backing into the frame and seal the edges with gummed paper tape to help keep our dust and insects. It is not advisable to have works 'drylaid' onto an undermount.

Storage

It is important to store oil painting and works on paper in clean,
dry conditions, preferably somewhere dark and where the temperature is
cool and fairly constant. Paintings should be placed upright on blocks
to keep them off the floor with acid-free board between each one. The
largest and heaviest should be at the back of the stack and picture
hooks should be removed to prevent them damaging the next frame or
canvas. Cover the stack with a clean dustsheet but do not use plastic as
this can cause mould. Unframed works on paper, such as maps or prints,
are best kept flat in acid-free boxes or folders with acid-free tissue
between each work.

Cleaning & Conservation

Apart from dusting frames and the glass protecting works on paper,
picture cleaning should only be done by a skilled professional. Never
clean gilded frames with a damp cloth or sponge as this will eventually
remove the gold leaf. Flaking oil paint, dirty varnish and a whitish
bloom on the surface of an oil painting caused by damp can all be
treated without too much difficulty by a professional restorer. Stains
and foxing on works on paper can also usually be dealt with by a paper
conservator. Inspect your pictures regularly as any signs of damage or
staining should be dealt with as soon as possible to prevent further
deterioration which will make the problem more difficult and expensive
to deal with. You can contact the
British Association of Paintings Conservator-Restorers,
www.bapcr.org.uk or the Institute
of Paper Conservation, www.ipc.org.uk
who should be able to give you contact details for a local restorer.

Information on care of paintings, watercolours and drawings reproduced by kind permission of LAPADA